Microsoft Manager Killed in Murder-for-Hire Plot Linked to Child Custody Dispute

A murder-for-hire plot led to the fatal shooting of Jared Bridegan, a Microsoft design manager who was killed on a Florida road in 2022. The victim had been involved in a contentious child custody arrangement with his ex-wife, Shanna Gardner.

The killer, Mario Fernandez Saldana, was convicted of first-degree murder and solicitation of murder for hiring Henry Tenon to carry out the ambush. Tenon's DNA was found on the rim of the tire that had been intentionally placed in the road, police said.

Fernandez Saldana's motive was his desire to gain more custody of their twins with Gardner. Prosecutors argued that he and Gardner wanted a majority say in decision-making, even going so far as to want 60-40 custody.